MSU student creates organization to meet community needs

Samantha Nichols saw a need to address the issues of diversity in faith with Missouri State University and the community, which started her journey to create the organization Linked.

"I came to Missouri State with a million ideas about what I wanted to do with my life," said Nichols, a senior religious studies student. "Of course, I couldn't major in everything so I had to figure out what I was most passionate about. After just a couple of classes in the religious studies department I knew that this was what I wanted to study."

Linked is a group dedicated to interfaith dialogue and service, which focuses on bringing people with different religious and secular backgrounds together to work on service projects around the community.

"I came across this concept of interfaith dialogue and service and was really excited about bringing it to Missouri State," she said.

Although there were some administrative problems and miscommunication along the way, her passion and resolve paid off when the group finally had a name and place on campus.

Nichols has worked on a variety of service projects around the community through Linked, but one service project touched her heart. Linked hosted a candlelight vigil for last year's shooting victims at the Jewish Centers in Overland Park, Kansas.

"It was a really moving night and epitomized why I care about interfaith dialogue," she said. "The vigil was organized by students and so it was really encouraging to see what we are capable of doing."

Nichols said this organization has been amazing because she was able to learn about herself and others through stories and projects. She said students join Linked for a variety of reasons, but what they contribute is wonderful.

"We focus on shared values like compassion, service and justice, but we also learn about our different reasons for holding those values," Nichols said. "I feel more equipped as a leader because this has given me so much experience in working on a team of diverse people."

She believes learning about other views and how to work with different people is helpful to everyone.

"Whether a person pursues a career directly related to a religious or secular belief system or not, learning about other perspectives and how to work with people who are different from you is incredibly meaningful and helpful," Nichols said.

By Blake Miller, University Communications public relations intern